Sailboat



J. H. HART.

SAILBOAT.

APPLICATION FILED N.0.V. 2s, 1919.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920!.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- W W M/Eym,

J. H. HART.

SAILBVOAT.

1,836,226. APPHCATION FILED IIQOV. 28, 1919. 6,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- JOHN H. HART, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

SAILBOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application filed November 28, 1919. Serial No. 341,306.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN H. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bennington, in the county of Bennington and State of Ver1nont,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sailboats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boats of the class of sail boats and has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character constructed to attain increased speed, and at reduced expense over boats of ordinary con struction, thus rendering the boat especially desirable for use in water sports.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat with buoyant pontoons or the like, and laterally adjustable rearwardly and downwardly inclined planes coacting with the body or hull and engaging the surface of the water and materially reducing the resistance presented by the water to the progress of the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat of this character including a longitudinally movable centerboard, laterally adjustable plane devices inclined to the longitudinal plane of the hull, a mast and sail, and means whereby the effect of the air currents on the sail will cause the planes and centerboard to be adjusted laterally and longitudinally to correspond to the position of the sail and its boom.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the improved boat.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved boat.

Fig. f is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a part of the reversing mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a part of the reversing mechanism.

The hull or body portion of the improved boat is in the form of a platform and consists of longitudinally directed sill members 10 in spaced relation and supporting transversely arranged floor members 11 slightly spaced to provide for the escape of water which may flow thereover when the boat is being driven through the seas. For the purpost of this description the hull or body, composed of the longitudinal members 10 and the transverse members 11, will be referred to as the platform.

Bearing over the platform forwardly of its transverse center is a bar 12 having down turned ends 13 connected rigidly to plane devices 14. Extending over the platform aft of its transverse center is another bar 15 having downturned ends 16 also connected rigidly to the plane members 14f. The downturned ends 16 are of greater length than the downturned ends 13 so that the planes 14 are supported in position rearwardly and downwardly inclined as shown in Fig. 1. The length of the portions 13 and 16 are so proportioned that the forward ends of the planes are supported about even with the transverse line of the upper face of the platform, while the rear ends are supported at a considerable distance below the line of the platform and consequently beneath the surface of the water, as illustrated in Fig. 1. r

The bars 12 and 15 are movable transversely of the platform so that the planes 14 may be adjusted farther from and nearer to the same, the object to be hereafter explained. Supported upon the platform are guide rollers 1718 which bear over ribs on the bars 12 and 15 to support thein'in their movements'laterally of the platform.

The bars 12 and 15 are provided respectively with upwardly directed gear racks 1920.

Another gear rack 21 is connected at its ends at 22 to the bar 15 at one side of its center and spaced from the rack 20 with its teeth directed upwardly, and another gear rack 23 is connected at 2 to the gear rack 20, the rack 23 being spaced above the line of the rack 21 with its teeth directed downwadly as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6.

The confronting ends of the shorter racks 21 and 23 are in spaced relation, and supported from the platform by a standard 25 is a stub shaft 26 carrying a gear wheel 27 adapted to run idle when the bars 12 and 15 are in central or midship position and to alternately engage the racks 21 and 23 when the bars 12 and 15 are operated, as hereafter explained.

An arm 28 is pivoted at 29 to the platform relatively near the stern and extends forwardly and is united to or formed integral with a segmental gear rack 30 at its forward or free end. A shaft 31 is supported by standards 32 on the platform and carries a pinion 33 engaging continuously with the segmental rack 30 and a gear wheel 34 engaging continuously with the rack 20 of the bar 15.

The shaft 31 is provided at its forward end with a gear 35 in constant engagement with the rack 19.

By this arrangement when the arm 28 with its segmental rack 30 is in longitudinal alinement with the platform, or in midship position, the gears 34 and 35 coacting with the racks 19 and 20 maintain the bars 12 and 15 in a corresponding central position and hold the planes 14 spaced at equal distance from the platform, as shown in Fig. 1.

r This position of the bar 15 likewise holds the shorter racks 21 and 23 disconnected from the pinion 34, the object to be hereafter explained.

Connected at 36 to the underside of the platform are airtight pontoons 37 the latter preferably located about midway of the platform and in parallel relation to each other and to the platform and providing the necessary buoyancy thereto.

Attached to the underside of the platform forwardly of its transverse center, is a guideway 38 for a centerboard device 39 the guideway being considerably longer than the centerboard so that the latter may be adjusted longitudinally of the platform to a corresponding extent.

Mounted for rotation in bearings 40 and 41 beneath the platform and in parallel relation to the center-board guide 38 is a relatively long screw 42, and engaging the screw is a traveling nut 43 connected by an arm 44 to the centerboard 39.

By this arrangement it will be obvious that the rotation of the screw 42 will correspondingly move the centerboard in, its guideway.

Means are provided for transmitting the motion of the stub shaft 26 to the screw 42, and'for the purpose of illustration a' chain. and sprocketwheels indicated at 45 are em ployed for this purpose, the chain operating through a suitable opening through the platform.

By this arrangement, the lateral movement ofthe bar 15, and its main rack 19and the shorter racks 21-23'wi11 be transmitted to the screw 42 and the centerboard 39 to move the latter forwardly no matter in which direction the bar 15 may be moved.

A relatively powerful spring 46 is connected atone end to the platform and at the other end to the segmental rack 30. l

The spring thus 'exerts its force to maintain the arm 28 and segmental rack 30 yieldably in a central or midway position relatively to the platform, and to automatically return the arm and segmental rack and their associated parts to their normally central positions, when lateral strain is removed therefrom, as hereafter explained. V V

The platform of the improved device is provided with a suitable rudder represented at 47, a mast represented at 48, a sail 49 having the usual boom 50, gaff 51, jib boom and jib sail '53.

The main sheet which controls the boom is represented at 54 and connected at its ends respectively to the boom at 52 and to the platform at 55 and passes in its course around a guide sheave 56 connected by a hanger 57 to the arm 28, the sheave being reversible on the arm.

The improved boat thus rests upon the water and is supported by the pontoons 37 with the planes 14 normally in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or at equal distances from the platform. 7

The arm 28 will also be held normally in central position and holdthe centerboard 39 normally in rearward position in the guide way 38.

It will be assumed that these midship positions of the parts denote that there is no pressure of air against the sails.

When the wind acting on the sail 49 from the right, or in the direction of'the' arrow in Fig. 1, moves the boom 50 to the right, the sheet member 54 exerts a pulling force upon the arm 28 in the same direction through the sheave .56 and thus correspondingly moves the segmental rack' 30 and causes the rotation of the shaft 31 and its gears 34 and 35 and thus moves the bars 12 and 15 and the planes14 to the right, or toward the leeward side, and effectually counteracts the tendency of the boat to cap size.

The planes are thus automatically operated effectually as Outriggers and are also automatically adjusted nearer to or farther from the platform in correspondence to the pressure of the wind, so that-the platform is constantly maintained on an even keel no matter what the wind pressure may be; At

the same time that the planes 14 are adjusted laterally in correspondence to the wind pressure upon the sails, the centerboard 39 will becorresponding'ly moved for wardly or toward the bow to withstand the tendency of the platform to swing laterally at the bow under the wind pressure.

WVhen the course is changed, and the boom reversed to bring the wind' against the opposite side of the saiL the'presSure on the main sheet 54 will be released and the force of the spring 46 will center the segment 30 and also move the centerboard to its rearward position again through the reverse action of the shorter racks 21 and 23, the position of the guide sheave 56 being also reversed on the arm 28.

Then when the wind pressure increases and moves the sail 49 and boom 50 to the left, the arm 28 and segment 30 will be moved to the left and correspondingly move the planes 14 to the left. The pinion 27 being now coupled to the shorter rack23 will again cause the forward movement of the centerboard, as before.

By thus providing means for reversing the direction of movement of the mechanisni for actuating the screw, the centerboard is caused to move forwardly by the increase of wind pressure no matter from which direction the wind may be blowing.

The planes and centerboard are thus caused to cooperate to stabilize the craft.

While I have shown an operative structure in which the parts cooperate to produce the desired results, it will be obvious that modifications in the construction and arrangement of parts which come within the scope of the claims may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages.

Nhat is claimed is:

1. A boat including a floating platform, bars movable laterally of the platform, plane devices attached to the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform, and means for adjusting the bars to locate the plane devices nearer to and farther from the platform.

2. A boat including a floating platform, bars, movable laterally of the platform, plane devices attached to the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform and inclined to the longitudinal plane of the same, and means for adjusting the bars to locate the plane devices nearer to and farther from the platform.

A boat including a floating platform, bars movable laterally of the platform, plane devices attached to the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform, a centerboard device adjustable longitudinally of the platform, and means for simultaneously adjusting the bars to locate the plane devices nearer to and farther from the platform and to locate the centerboard device nearer to or farther from the bow portion of the platform.

4. A boat including a floating platform, plane devices at opposite sides of the platform, and means operative from the platform for adjusting the planes nearer to and farther from the same.

5. A boat including a floating platform, plane devices at opposite sides of the platform, a centerboard device adjustable longitudinally of the platform, means operative form the platform for simultaneously adjusting the planes nearer to and farther from the same, and to locate the centerboard device nearer to and farther from the bow portion of the platform.

6. A boat including a floating platform, plane devices at opposite sides of the platform, a mast rising from the platform, a sail including a main boom associated with the mast, means for adjusting the planes nearer to and farther from the same, and connecting means between the boom and the plane controlling means, whereby the adjustment of the planes corresponds to the pressure of the wind upon the sail.

7. A boat including a floating platform, plane devices at opposite sides of the platform, a centerboard device adjustable longitudinally of the platform, a mast rising from the platform, a sail including a main boom associated with the mast, means operative from the platform for simultaneously adjusting the planes nearer to and far ther from the same and to locate the centerboard device nearer to and farther from the bow portion of the platform, and connecting means between the boom and the plane and centerboard controlling means, whereby the adjustment of the planes and centerboard corresponds to the pressure of the wind against the sail.

8. A boat including a floating platform, bars .movable laterally of the platform, plane devices attached to the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform, an arm swinging upon the platform, means whereby the swinging movement of the arm produces lateral movement to the plane carrying bars, a mast carried by the platform, a sail including a main boom associated with the mast, whereby the swinging of the arm is controlled by the pressure of the wind upon the sail.

9. A boat including a floating platform, bars movable laterally of the platform, plane devices attached to the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform, a centerboard device adjustable longitudinally of the platform, an armswinging upon the platform, means whereby the swinging movement of the arm produces simultaneous movement of the plane carrying bars and to the centerboard device, a mast carried by the platform, a sail including a main boom associated with the mast, and connecting means between the arm and boom, whereby the location of the planes and the centerboard device relatively to the platform is controlled by the pressure of the wind upon the sail.

10. A boat including a floating platform, plane devices at opposite sides of the platform, a centerboard device movable longitudinally of the platform, a screw mounted for rotation relatively to the platform, a threaded sleeve engaging the screw and connected to the centerboarcl device, means operative from the platform for simultaneously adjusting the planes nearer to and farther from the platform and rotating the screw to cause the movement of the centerboard device longitudinally of the platform.

11. A :boat including a floating platform, bars movable laterally of the platform and having gear racks, plane devices attached to the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform, an arm swinging upon the platform, a gear segment carried by the arm, a shaft having gears engaging the rack and a gear engagingthe segment, a mast carried bythe platform, a sail including a main boom associated with the mast, whereby the swinging of the arm is controlled by the pressure .of the wind upon the sail.

12. A boat including a floating latform, bars movable laterally of the platform and having gear racks, plane devices attached to ,the bars and located at opposite sides of the platform, an arm swinging upon the platform and having a gear segment, a shaft having gears engaging. the racks of said bars and the segmental rack of the arm, a centerboard device movable longitudinally of the platform, a screw mounted for rotation relative to the platform, a threaded sleeve engaging the screw and connected to the centerboard. device, shorter racks attached to one of the bars and spaced at their confronting ends and with their teeth directed respectively upwardly" and downwardly, a gear arranged to be engaged alternately by said shorter gear racks, means whereby the motion of said last mentioned gear is imparted to the screw, a mast and sail including a boom, and means whereby the movement of the sail and boom under the influence of the wind controls the position of the arm and the mechanism associated therewith.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

JOHN H. HART. 

